


A Shelter for One to Cover All

by Eirenne Saijima (ladypoetess)



Category: seaQuest
Genre: Autism, Found Family, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-18
Updated: 2020-12-18
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:08:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28147356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladypoetess/pseuds/Eirenne%20Saijima
Summary: The seaQuest has been gone for three years and things are changing the world over. On Caicos Island, Malcolm Lansdowne has been raising the son of an executed dictator in as much of a calm and sheltered place possible. But now, that peace may need to extend just a bit further than he ever intended.
Relationships: Malcolm Lansdowne & Caesar Tezlof
Comments: 3
Kudos: 6
Collections: Yuletide 2020





	A Shelter for One to Cover All

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SeasonOfMists](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeasonOfMists/gifts).



_23 April 2025, Caicos Key Dolphin Research Institute_

“That’s good work, Hazina. But I’m bushed and I think we can pick this thread up again tomorrow, don’t you?” Malcolm Lansdowne leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, scrubbing at his face with both hands.

The dark-skinned woman at the next terminal nodded and snapped her laptop closed. “Very good, Mr. Lansdowne.”

“Malcolm, please,” he groaned.

“As you say, sir.” There was a hint of amusement in her voice as she stood and picked up her bag. “Good night.”

**< <Incoming signal>>**

Malcolm cracked one eye open and scowled at the beeping terminal. “Open vidlink.”

“Hello, Malcolm.”

“As I live and breathe, Kristin Westphalen!” A grin fit to split his face spread across Malcolm’s face as he sat up. “What brings you to my screen tonight? I was just about to get Caesar for dinner. You know, that boy spends more time with my dolphins than I do, and I think they like him better than me, to boot.”

“That’s wonderful to hear, Malcolm.” Kristin’s smile faltered a little as she paused. “I was wondering... do you suppose I might come by for a visit? See what you’re working on, see how Caesar is doing these days?”

“Absolutely! You’re always welcome here, you know that. Where are you? Can I send a launch to pick you up?”

“No, that’s all right, I’m not far and I have my own transportation. Shall I see you in two days, then?”

Malcolm smiled again, softer, with genuine happiness. “I’ll keep the lights on for you.”

**< <Transmission terminated>>**

_25 April 2025, Caicos Key Dolphin Research Institute_

An intently focused teenage boy leaning over the edge of a glass-sided pool, hand feeding three bottlenose dolphins and apparently oblivious to the world around him, gave no indication that he heard the sound of the slightly off-key whistling that Malcolm had used to herald his arrival for the last seven years. Oh, he did hear it, he just didn’t classify it as worth diverting his attention away from the dolphins. There was very little that was worth that, in Caesar’s estimation.

“C’mon Caesar, I know you heard me coming. I need to talk to you, can you come over here?” Malcolm leaned against the walkway railing, careful not to crowd too close to the boy.

“I’m not done yet.”

“All right. Finish that bucket and then come over here.” Malcolm crossed his arms and watched the boy fondly.

It had taken them both a good long while to figure out just how to live together. Malcolm, by his nature, was inclined to casual, affectionate physical contact, loud, gregarious interactions with everyone around him, and a low level of chaos in his personal life. Caesar, after the death of his mother, and the later conviction for war crimes and subsequent execution of his father, was inclined to none of those things. Indeed, in his opinion, touching was not for casual initiation with anyone but the dolphins, quiet was always preferable to any sort of loud noise, and the less chaos, the better. As much as Malcolm was looking forward to seeing Kristin again, he didn’t much relish the fact he was going to be disrupting the careful schedule that he and Caesar had worked out.

When the last bit of fish had been parceled out to the dolphins and they’d whistled their goodbyes and swum back out into the surrounding waters, Caesar put the bucket down and turned to walk toward Malcolm.

“Ok, what did you want to talk about?” Caesar wasn’t looking at Malcolm, but rather at a string of colorful beads that he’d carried in his pocket since the day Malcolm gave them to him, some six or more years past. That didn’t mean he wasn’t paying attention.

“Do you remember Dr. Westphalen, from the submarine we went to the day you and I met?”

“Darwin’s home. Yes, I remember her. She was soft, and she introduced me to the dolphins first.” Caesar ran the beads through his hands while he talked, the soft pop-pop-pop as he pulled each one through his fingers a whisper of a counterpoint to his words.

“Yes, that’s right. Do you remember that I said we’d be having a visitor when we talked at dinner last night? Well, it’s Dr. Westphalen; she’s going to come visit us today.” Malcolm watched the boy’s face and body language for any sign of distress and was relieved when he only saw the usual level of tension when anyone outside of the usual crew came to the research center.

“Ok. Can I go? I still have some lessons to finish for school.”

“Yes, you can go. What’s the subject today?” Malcolm smiled despite himself. From the silent, withdrawn child he’d met years before, this boy was still quiet, sure, but he wasn’t withdrawn at all. Not if you hit the right questions to ask him. It turned out that he loved to learn new things, he loved the dolphins, and he loved to be allowed to talk about the things he loved. Malcolm supposed that last was probably true of most kids, though he had little experience with them outside of Caesar.

“History. I’m reading a book about the Duke of Wellington, though there’s conflicting opinion on whether it’s accurate or not. I have to do more research.” Caesar’s brow furrowed, already focusing on the subject at hand as he turned to walk back inside to his room.

“Thank the gods for school via vidlink,” Malcolm breathed quietly as he watched Caesar’s retreating back. “How would I ever manage if I had to find a classroom for him to be in five days a week.”

Malcolm was still ruminating when a quiet clucking noise came from behind him.

“Is that the boy?” Kristin’s voice was warm as she walked up beside him. “He’s grown so much!”

“Well, I’m assured that that is what children do, after all.” Malcolm’s grin was genuine as he pulled Kristin into a hug. “How’ve you been, doctor? It’s been at least five years since you last came to see me.”

Kristin’s smiled wavered a little as she sighed and walked toward the patio tables. “Let’s sit and talk, shall we?”

Malcolm got them each a beer and sat with Kristin, making inane small talk while she got herself settled. It wasn’t like her, this nervous tension, but he’d had a lot of practice with Caesar and he had learned how to be patient and let the other party come to interaction in their own time.

With a firm breath, Kristin sat up straighter and set her beer bottle down the table, then turned to look directly at him.

“I’ve quit my job with UEO.”

“Wait, really? Why?” Malcolm couldn’t have been more shocked if she’d thrown the bottle at him. “You worked so hard to get that position, Kristin — what changed?”

“The world, Downy.” She sighed. “I don’t know how much you see of it, here on your island, but things have been going badly for some time now. Ever since seaQuest...”

“Yeah, I know that much, at least. When they declared it lost at sea, which is something I’m still not ready to accept, all the old critters came skittering out of the woodwork again. I’ve seen Leslie Ferina, even Max Scully the old bastard, poking their heads up again.”

“Yes, well, it’s much the same within UEO, I’m afraid. After the arrest of Andrea Dre, they appointed Admiral Noyce to be Secretary General. He did an admirable job, for all it’s worth, for as long as they let him. But as he was forever reminding us, it is intended to be a civilian position and he is a military man.”

“That’s one of those features of a democracy, I hear. Civilian control of the government and military is supposed to keep us from becoming like the other guys.” Malcolm idly rolled his bottle between his hands. “So then what?”

“Then we elected that useless bureaucrat McGath.” With a heavy, frustrated sigh, Kristin continued, “I’m sure he’s doing his best, but with this new Macronesian alliance in the Pacific and the growing corporate interests like Larry Deon’s people, things are not going well.”

“What can I do?” There was no levity in Malcolm’s voice now, just the sincerity she’d hoped for. “Just tell me and I’ll do my best to help.”

“Let me stay? Let me do my work here, let me — no, let _us_ bring others here who want to be able to do the same without bending to the corporate overlords or the petty tyrants who want ocean kingdoms of their own.”

“Ok. We can do this. I've thought about having Bill and Emile and Mom move to the island permanently, anyway. Not necessarily _here_ , you know, but still here.” Malcolm reached out to take her hand and smiled at her, nodding firmly. “Let’s make this something for the ages, hmm? Now, what do you want for dinner? You really need to see Caesar, he’s done so well here. He's still got his little quirks, you know, but we've worked out how to make it work.”

Kristin laughed and linked her arm through his, "It's called autism, Downy. And I had every confidence you could make it work. I can't wait to see how he is. How it all will be."


End file.
